Businesses such as customer service organizations and telemarketing organizations utilize automated telephone call centers to process and route incoming telephone calls to agents.
These organizations typically have databases containing information both on their customers and also on potentially interested parties. For example, a customer service organization will often have at least telephone and address information on its customers and possibly account information as well. Often the customers have provided such information by previously filling out information cards to register for a warranty or service plan.
Similarly, a telemarketing organization may develop data on potentially interested parties in many ways. For example, by cold calling parties, or by sending bulk mail with return cards filled out by interested parties. This information has typically included at least a name, a telephone number and an address to send information to. Today, with greater variety of means of communication available, this information may also include an e-mail address.
In the past, these organizations having to contact interested parties or customers have been limited to either using a telephone or traditional mail to contact, and to provide information to, the interested parties or customers.
Problems in using a telephone for contacting people are several. For example, a person may not be near their telephone and may miss the call. Even if the interested party has an answering machine, there is no way to ensure that the proper party receives the message. In addition, security or privacy may be of a concern. If so, then leaving a message on an answering machine would clearly be unacceptable. Also, there is no way of knowing when a party received the information.
Similarly, using traditional mail service would not preclude unauthorized access to the information, nor would it provide any way of determining when the package was received.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method which provides the necessary security for the information being sent, provides the necessary privacy to the party to whom it is being sent, provides a date/time stamp upon receipt and or reading by the party to whom it is sent, and is nearly instantaneous in its transmission time.